01 July 2005

Lithuanians petrol-bombed

A GROUP of Lithuanians living in Tyrone were today targeted by petrol bombers in the latest in a spate of attacks on migrant workers in the area.

A device was thrown at their home in Fairmount Park, Dungannon, shortly before 3am today and the householders, three men and a woman, were lucky to escape uninjured.

An upstairs window at the back of the house was broken and there was scorch damage to the carpet on an upstairs landing and the outside wall.

One of the men living there managed to contain the blaze, which had spread up the walls outside his bedroom, with a bucket of water and his prompt actions prevented a potentially life-threatening incident.

"I just heard the glass in the window smash and then I looked out and saw the flames," he said.

"I ran and threw some water on it and that put it out. We have been living here for over a year with no trouble at all and I don't know why anybody would want to do this."

The arsonists scaled an 8ft wall at the back of the house to launch their attack and the owner of the house, who didn't want to be named, said it was fortunate that nobody was hurt.

The incident follows a savage attack, allegedly by a group of foreign nationals, on a man in the town.

Maurice Morrow from Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council said there should be no retaliation.